The present invention relates generally to package labeling systems and, more particularly, to a method for coordinating the printing and application of at least two labels each including human readable information onto substantially rectangular packages by two separate label appliers such that the human readable information is oriented to be read from one side edge of at least two selectable side edges of the packages.
Labeling systems have been combined with weighing scales to automatically weigh and label random weight packaged items such as meat and produce in supermarkets. In such systems, package weight, price per unit weight, total price, etc., and commonly a UPC bar code are printed onto labels which are applied to corresponding packages.
It is often desirable to be able to select the physical angular orientation of labels applied to packages. For example, the user of a labeling system may wish to arrange packages with either the longer or the shorter package side edges being parallel to the front of a display case. If labels are applied in a single orientation by a labeling system, the arrangement of packages in a display case is effectively fixed since it is undesirable to have packages oriented with human readable information on the labels running other than upright and horizontally.
To overcome label orientation problems, a number of labeling systems have been developed in the prior art for selecting the physical angular orientation of labels relative to the packages to which they are applied. Examples of such labeling systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,124,436 and 3,616,094. A particularly convenient operator-controlled label rotating system is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 002,597, filed Jan. 12, 1987, and entitled, "Method and Apparatus for Label Transfer", which application is assigned to the assignee of the present application and is hereby incorporated by reference.
Unfortunately, known prior art arrangements are mechanically controlled and, with the exception of the referenced patent application, tend to be structurally complicated which increases the expense of a label applier while at the same time reducing its reliability. An additional problem that arises with labeling systems which provide for selecting the physical angular orientation of labels relative to packages is the secondary labeling of packages with fluorescent colored merchandising labels which provide additional information to a consumer by identifying and drawing attention to desirable characteristics or sale pricing of the products. For example, hamburger may be designated as "fresh ground", pork chops as "thin cut" or "thick cut", a certain roast beef as the "special of the day", and so forth, and "sale", "family pack", "20% off", or the like, may identify special pricing.
Merchandising labels are often applied by hand such that the orientation of the merchandising label can be manually aligned to read from the same side edge of the package as the pricing label. However, if merchandising labels are automatically applied by a labeling machine, their orientation must be coordinated with the orientation of pricing labels, otherwise, the labels will not read from the same side edges of the packages and will detract from their appearances and ease of readability. An automatic merchandising labeler is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,757 which issued to Fritz F. Treiber on Oct. 7, 1986.
Although the merchandising labeler and the pricing labeler disclosed in the Treiber patent are horizontally movable to position the labels on preferred portions of packages, neither labeler has the ability to control the physical angular orientation of the labels relative to the packages. Since merchandising labels, although desirable from a sales standpoint, are not strictly necessary, label rotating pricing labelers are generally not used to apply such labels due to the expense and often complicated structure of such labelers. This is evident in the Treiber patent wherein the merchandising labeler is of a considerably more simple structure than the pricing labeler to reduce the cost of merchandising label application.
A need exists for a method for automatically labeling packages with at least two differing labels each including human readable information wherein the orientation of the human readable information on the labels can be selected to be read from one of at least two side edges of the packages without requiring all label appliers to perform physical label rotation. Such a labeling method is particularly advantageous where merchandising labels are to be applied since it provides for completely automatic labeling with merchandising labels not only being automatically applied but also being oriented to be read from the same package side edge as are pricing or other labels applied to packages by label rotating appliers.